Obviously even inexpensive quality clothes in the UK are better quality than in the USA, as I've never encountered any of those problems, or heard from friends of any such incidents, or read about it in any tabloid newspapers who just love that sort of thing.

And the only colour run I've ever had was from a pair of red leather shoes, which were no longer new, when my feet got soaked one day. Not at all surprised.

Wut?

I've lived in the good ol' US of A my entire life, I've never washed clothes before wearing them and I've never had any issues either. Might want to watch those sweeping statements.

I never wash new clothes either (I also live in the states), I like the new clothes smell. I do wash sheets/bedding before use it though. Usually because it doesn't feel soft enough to me fresh out of the package. Does still have that nice "new" smell though.

There was an Law & Order:SVU episode where a someone died because the clothes they were wearing had been recycled from a funeral home and they were soaked in embalming fluid.

I remember reading in a book, something about medical mysteries, a case where jeans for boys were purchased at a salvage auction, and all that wore them, got very ill, aside from one. The reason they were salvaged, was during shipment, a drum of some liquid had spilled on them, so they were ruined, and sold for cheap. turns out it was some nasty pesticide, and the one boy who didn't get sick, his mom had washed them first before he wore them.

There was an Law & Order:SVU episode where a someone died because the clothes they were wearing had been recycled from a funeral home and they were soaked in embalming fluid.

I remember reading in a book, something about medical mysteries, a case where jeans for boys were purchased at a salvage auction, and all that wore them, got very ill, aside from one. The reason they were salvaged, was during shipment, a drum of some liquid had spilled on them, so they were ruined, and sold for cheap. turns out it was some nasty pesticide, and the one boy who didn't get sick, his mom had washed them first before he wore them.

I never wash my pasta either and never had it stick together. I just immediately mix it up with whatever sauce I'm adding, even if that "sauce" is just olive oil, garlic & parmesan cheese.

My mother always served the pasta & sauce separately and to keep it from sticking she'd toss it with some butter. When I started cooking for myself I thought that whole process could be abbreviated by just tossing with the sauce in the first place, thus not only eliminating the need for the butter but also the need for an extra serving bowl.

I do that too, when I make pasta. My husband, on the other hand, gets really annoyed when I mix it all up together if there is going to be any pasta left over. He says that the noodles suck up all the sauce while sitting in the fridge, and that they aren't as good after being in there for awhile. So when he makes pasta for himself (usually several days worth all at once), he keeps the noodles separate from the sauce and I guess just lets them stick together in one giant clump.

He also thinks my legitimately-al-dente pasta (when I cook it) is undercooked, though, so I'm not sure he gets to be an authority on this subject. He usually cooks pasta to the point of mushiness unless I intervene.

There was an Law & Order:SVU episode where a someone died because the clothes they were wearing had been recycled from a funeral home and they were soaked in embalming fluid.

I remember reading in a book, something about medical mysteries, a case where jeans for boys were purchased at a salvage auction, and all that wore them, got very ill, aside from one. The reason they were salvaged, was during shipment, a drum of some liquid had spilled on them, so they were ruined, and sold for cheap. turns out it was some nasty pesticide, and the one boy who didn't get sick, his mom had washed them first before he wore them.

This was also an episode of House, IIRC.

Yep! The only episode of House I've ever seen in its entirety was one where the mystery illness was from pesticide-soaked jeans sold off the back of a truck.

The clothes soaked in embalming fluid is a really (really!) old urban legend about a girl who can't afford a prom dress and happened upon a dead girl in a coffin wearing a beautiful dress. She guiltily borrowed the dress and well, you know what happened during prom. I love that story.

The clothes soaked in embalming fluid is a really (really!) old urban legend about a girl who can't afford a prom dress and happened upon a dead girl in a coffin wearing a beautiful dress. She guiltily borrowed the dress and well, you know what happened during prom. I love that story.

I remember that being in one of those "Scary Stories" books I had as a kid. It was one of my favorite ones. That and the one with the mother and daughter in another country and the mother dies but the hotel staff tries to convince the daughter her mom never came with her.

There was an Law & Order:SVU episode where a someone died because the clothes they were wearing had been recycled from a funeral home and they were soaked in embalming fluid.

I remember reading in a book, something about medical mysteries, a case where jeans for boys were purchased at a salvage auction, and all that wore them, got very ill, aside from one. The reason they were salvaged, was during shipment, a drum of some liquid had spilled on them, so they were ruined, and sold for cheap. turns out it was some nasty pesticide, and the one boy who didn't get sick, his mom had washed them first before he wore them.

The book was either volume one or volume two of 'The Medical Detectives'. These were articles that appeared in the New Yorker magazine between the late 1940s and early 1960s. Although the medical science involved is way out of date, the stories still make a great read.

it would never occur to me that new clothes need to be/should be washed before you wear them?

To borrow a well known Ehell phrase "Why would I want to do that?"

There are fabric finishes from the factory that involve various chemicals - depending on your particular sensitivities - washing them might be required for comfort (makes some people itchy) - other people want the psychological comfort of knowing that the clothes really are CLEAN before they wear them (not just try them on).

And I remember a real case where someone had a drug trip for years because their clothing & suitcase got soaked in some kind of drug concentrate, it dried, and they wore it....and their skin absorbed it. What I don't remember was if they had any choice in wearing the clothes as they came out of the suit case - hotels forty years ago did not have free guest laundry facilities and dry cleaning takes time & money - if they had a meeting to go to, they may have had to get dressed & GO to it.

And not all chemicals would have left an obvious stain or odor...the only reason it was noticed is that things were slightly damp but dried out overnight....and I remember reading the story in the Readers' Digest - I just don't remember when. Other than over twenty and probably over thirty years ago.

My husband insists that his clothes and those of the kids be washed before they are worn, because of the possibility of getting a rash from chemicals used to clean them, or the dyes, or something. His concern with the kids is that if the new clothes made them itchy or gave them a rash, they might not be able to figure out/articulate what is wrong, and so they might be exposed longer (whereas an adult might realize what was going on and take the new socks off). I personally don't care and have never had a reaction, so I wear my clothes new. I don't think a reaction is likely, but I don't mind humoring him. Like somebody else mentioned, I like getting to wear the item when it's perfect, especially as a lot of sweaters don't look quite as nice once they've been washed once.

it would never occur to me that new clothes need to be/should be washed before you wear them?

To borrow a well known Ehell phrase "Why would I want to do that?"

I do. I never heard about the chemicals and other stuff, but it just squicks me out that someone /someones tried on the clothing - i dunno if those people have some rash or something that may be contagious. I know it's a real long shot, but it is one of hose things that creep me out.

(I guess my not washing fruit that i mentioned a few days ago, cancels out the craziness of my washing new clothing before i wear them)

Obviously even inexpensive quality clothes in the UK are better quality than in the USA, as I've never encountered any of those problems, or heard from friends of any such incidents, or read about it in any tabloid newspapers who just love that sort of thing.

I can see the headline now--"Man Wears New Clothes Without Washing--Turns Red in Armpits!"

I wash most (not all) new clothes because often the sizing or finishing on the fabric is stiff and a little irritating to my skin. Also, if the clothes need hemming, I want any shrinkage to happen before I hem them. It's not because I'm squicked by the idea of someone else having tried them on.

On the news awhile back, there was a story about warehouses where they store new clothes being invested with vermin. They were leaving little presents in the clothes. I still don't wash mine, but I do wash DD's.